History of Airplanes

photo probably taken at East Boston airport, c. 1937

Luscombe Phantom, NC1344? Most likely, this is a Model 4 with a 90 hp Warner, called the “90″ at first and is a smaller Phantom in most ways.

Powered by a 145hp radial Warner Super Scarab engine, the Phantom was the forerunner to the popular Luscombe 8 series.

From Aero Digest, April, 1935:

Luscombe Airplane Corporation, West Trenton, New Jersey

• Two-place high-wing monoplane. Warner Super Scarab engine, 145 horsepower. A TC 552. Span 31 feet. Length overall 21 feet 6 inches. Height overall 6 feet 9 inches. Wing area 132 square feet. Power loading 13.5 pounds per horsepower. Wing loading 14.8 pounds per square foot.

Empty weight 1300 pounds. Useful load 650 pounds. Payload 236 pounds. Gross weight 1950 pounds. Fuel capacity 35 gallons. Oil capacity 3.75 gallons.

Maximum speed 168 miles per hour. Cruising speed 144 miles per hour. Landing speed 45 miles per hour. Service ceiling 19,000 feet. Rate of climb 1400 feet per minute. Cruising range 560 miles.

Fuselage: all-metal construction of duralumin; full monocoque; side-by-side seating arrangement with duralumin dual controls; 8 cubic foot baggage compartment behind seat, accessible in flight; seat cushions removable to allow use of parachute; two large unobstructed doors on each side of the cabin; top and rear windows. Wing: fabric covered; all-metal construction; extruded dural I beams; stamped dural ribs; flaps are of stainless steel, shot welded; electrically or manually operated, extend across greater portion of wing span. Tail group: fabric covered movable surfaces; duralumin sheet and welded steel tubing; stabilizer adjustable in flight. Fixed type cantilever landing gear equipped with I8-inch General streamlined tires, Autofan wheels and brakes, oleo and spring shock absorbers; tail wheel assembly combination of leaf spring supported by a vertical member with rubber discs.

Standard equipment includes Hartzell wood propel1er, Exide battery, heat and ventilation control systems, complete electrification and individually fused with wire in aluminum conduits, wired for radio, rubber mounted instrument panel.

Instruments: air speed indicator, altimeter, tachometer, compass, fuel gauge, oil pressure gauge, oil temperature gauge, compass. Also see data in September, 1934, AERO DIGEST.